EP0850830A2 - Sous-marin - Google Patents

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Publication number
EP0850830A2
EP0850830A2 EP97310410A EP97310410A EP0850830A2 EP 0850830 A2 EP0850830 A2 EP 0850830A2 EP 97310410 A EP97310410 A EP 97310410A EP 97310410 A EP97310410 A EP 97310410A EP 0850830 A2 EP0850830 A2 EP 0850830A2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
submarine
tube
pressure
hull
tubes
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP97310410A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0850830A3 (fr
Inventor
Javier Silvano Arzola
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication date
Priority claimed from GBGB9627029.3A external-priority patent/GB9627029D0/en
Priority claimed from GBGB9712379.8A external-priority patent/GB9712379D0/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0850830A2 publication Critical patent/EP0850830A2/fr
Publication of EP0850830A3 publication Critical patent/EP0850830A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
    • B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
    • B63G8/28—Arrangement of offensive or defensive equipment
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
    • B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
    • B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
    • B63G8/14—Control of attitude or depth
    • B63G8/26—Trimming equipment
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
    • B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
    • B63G8/40—Rescue equipment for personnel
    • B63G8/41—Capsules, chambers, water-tight boats or the like, detachable from the submarine
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41F—APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING PROJECTILES OR MISSILES FROM BARRELS, e.g. CANNONS; LAUNCHERS FOR ROCKETS OR TORPEDOES; HARPOON GUNS
    • F41F3/00—Rocket or torpedo launchers
    • F41F3/08—Rocket or torpedo launchers for marine torpedoes
    • F41F3/10—Rocket or torpedo launchers for marine torpedoes from below the surface of the water

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a submarine, notably an attack submarine.
  • the submarine may be nuclear powered or conventionally powered.
  • MBT Main Ballast Tanks
  • ROB reserve of buoyancy
  • PH Pressure Hull
  • the PH was narrowed or waisted, thus allowing the resulting space between the PH and the outer hull to be used for MBTs.
  • This narrowing of the hull was accomplished by welding circular conical PH sections to the cylindrical PH sections. This gave rise to undesirable stress areas where the conical sections joined the cylindrical sections and which had to be met with heavy scantlings and bulkheads.
  • the safety margin offered by a ROB of only 11% is very small. Should an incident take place at depth that produces a breach of the pressure hull and renders inoperative some MBTs, a subsequent emergency blow might be insufficient to establish positive buoyancy and the boat may sink.
  • Torpedo tubes are usually limited to 4 and are situated in the fore end of the submarine with a complicated system of tanks used to fire the torpedoes and compensate the weight of these with sea water. The torpedo room is located behind these tubes. Space considerations limit the capacity of most American SSNs to about 22 weapons. With the advent of submarine-launched air cruise missiles such as Tomahawk and Harpoon, this capacity was insufficient to ensure an adequate mix of weapons and guarantee the submarine a sufficient minimum number of each type of weapon to meet many mission requirements. In addition, due to the nature of the tactics involved in the use of air cruise missiles (particularly against heavily defended surface ships), there was a need to be able to fire more of these weapons quickly.
  • the 688I class of attack submarines solved this problem by incorporating a Vertical Launch System (VLS) consisting of 12 tubes mounted vertically in the forward MBT area and dedicated exclusively to carrying air cruise missiles. Each tube carries one round and can only be reloaded when the submarine is docked.
  • VLS Vertical Launch System
  • the new Seawolf class SSNs solves the problem by having 8 torpedo tubes and a capacity of about 48 weapons with the added advantage that these are general purpose tubes which can fire a full range of attack submarine weapons, thus permitting greater flexibility in configuring the weapons mix.
  • Reloading torpedoes is a rather long process which, in the case of a 688 class submarine, involves dismounting part of the interior floor space to assemble a ramp mechanism on the deck so that weapons can be lowered on a slide to the torpedo room and placed on their respective racks. The entire process of reloading a full weapons load is pondered to take some 12 hours.
  • Firing a weapon from a torpedo tube also takes rather longer than is desirable.
  • the breech is closed and water from the Water Round Torpedo (WRT) tank is used to fill the space between the torpedo and the tube.
  • WRT Water Round Torpedo
  • the torpedo is tested " by the fire control team to ensure it is in working order and the relevant targeting instructions are transmitted to the guidance system.
  • Pressure is equalized with surrounding sea water by opening a slide valve and, finally, the pressure cap and exterior doors are opened and the torpedo can be fired. Once fired, the tube remains filled with water which partly compensates for the weight of the weapon.
  • the Automatic Inboard Venting tank must take on sufficient water to compensate for the difference. If the weapon fired is a wire-guided torpedo, the tube cannot be reloaded unless the decision to cut the wire is taken. Reloading a torpedo tube takes even longer.
  • the muzzle cap and slide valves must be closed and the water from the tube drained into yet another tank called the Torpedo Operating Tank situated where it can continue to maintain longitudinal balance and with sufficient capacity to take on all the water required to compensate for the loss of weight which would result if a full load of weapons were discharged.
  • the breech door can now be opened and the tube inspected and cleared of any remaining wires and dispensers before the crew can proceed to reload a new weapon.
  • a submarine which has a forward pressure hull, an aft pressure hull, and a third pressure hull vessel which is connectable to the forward and the aft pressure hulls, wherein the submarine is provided with an array of tubes suitable for launching missiles, the tubes being disposed between the forward and the aft pressure hulls, generally around or adjacent to the centre of buoyancy of the submarine.
  • the invention permits the external placement of the weapons payload, provision of a multi-purpose escape module and provides for the elimination of the bridge fin.
  • the integration of all the design elements results in a submarine with a broader range of capabilities than comparable contemporary designs, particularly with regard to littoral or shallow-water missions, without, in turn, sacrificing any of the capabilities inherent in those designs.
  • Preferred embodiments of the submarine offer some or all of the following benefits:
  • the two pressure hull configuration should lend itself well to modern modular construction techniques and may give more flexibility in subcontracting than conventional designs. It should also have additional advantages relative to firefighting, survivability against weapons attack and reactor accidents. Other benefits of the invention will become apparent on studying the description of the embodiment below.
  • the missile tubes are vertical, as in a VLS system, but this would probably necessitate division of the third pressure hull vessel into two parts.
  • the missile tubes are generally horizontal, and the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to horizontal missile tubes.
  • the invention is not limited to this embodiment.
  • the third pressure hull vessel is preferably sealable, for example by hatch means, and detachable from the submarine so as to act as an escape system module.
  • an escape system module For convenience hereinafter, the invention will be described with reference to such an escape system module, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this embodiment.
  • the submarine has an external length of about 262 feet.
  • the basis of the design is to have two main pressure hulls 11, 12 make up most of the necessary hull volume of the submarine.
  • Each PH may be of conventional construction, being cylindrical in shape with hemispherical end caps (figs. 1 and 2).
  • the smaller, forward PH 11 houses the control room, sonar equipment, navigation and communications equipment, living quarters, galley, mess, stores, torpedo control room, auxiliary generator, batteries, domestic water maker and tank, electrolyzers for making oxygen, forward hydraulic power plant, bilge tank, etc.
  • the larger, aft PH 12 houses all the main propulsion machinery, reactor, manoeuvring room, reactor water maker, aft hydraulic power plant, etc.
  • the principal innovation in the design comes in the space between the two PH vessels 11, 12. This space should coincide approximately with the longitudinal centre of buoyancy 20 (fig. 1).
  • a central feature of the design is to adapt the VLS system as used in the 688I class submarines, but with the tubes placed horizontally so it may be called the Horizontal Launch System (HLS) 16.
  • the firing mechanism for the tubes is quite different as it must be a general purpose tube capable of delivering a full range of attack submarine weapons including wire-guided torpedoes, mines and cruise missiles.
  • the length and disposition of the tubes also determines the hull diameter of the submarine.
  • a tube requires an interior length of 21 feet
  • the design calls for a hull diameter of about 25 feet which is approximately the same diameter of the French Rubis and Amethyst class SSNs.
  • a 25-foot diameter PH can contain 2 full decks and three levels.
  • Surrounding the tubes 16 and underneath them are 4 MBT s 21.
  • Above the tubes 16 is a small PH vessel 15 of about 10.5 feet diameter with hemispherical end caps and a hatch leading to the topdeck. This vessel may be called the Escape System Module (ESM) and will be described below.
  • ESM Escape System Module
  • the Escape System Module (ESM)
  • the ESM 15 should be designed to withstand a significantly greater crush depth than the main Pressure Hulls 11, 12 and should be of sufficient size to ensure that the entire crew plus a reasonable number of visitors " can fit inside (figs. 3 and 4).
  • the hull of the ESM 15 is reinforced by a ring stiffener 44.
  • the ESM 15 is connected via connecting hatches 33 to the two main PH vessels and has several functions:
  • the emergency evacuation system can be practised nondestructively at sea. A number of crew members must evidently stay behind to tend to the submarine while the rest of the crew practices their abandon-ship manoeuvres. Once the ESM has separated from the submarine, the crew must blow, at least partly, the midship MBTs 21 to compensate for the resultant loss of buoyancy. When flooding the ESM in order to deliver divers, it will also be necessary to partly empty the midship MBTs.
  • the crew must open the top hatch 32 and place in or over the opening a light hatch or cover with ventilation pipes on the periphery.
  • This hatch or cover will prevent water from entering the vessel in rough seas.
  • the ventilation system will require the deployment of wind or solar generators on the top-deck which can also provide power for lights, radios, etc..
  • the ESM is much superior, in all aspects, to present methods of escape.
  • the effectiveness of the ESM will largely depend on the time available to the crew in which to enter the ESM and jettison it before the submarine gets below crush depth, and the time needed by the crew to deploy it.
  • the available time must exceed the time needed for deployment. The main design factors that determine the available time are:
  • the main design factor that determines the deployment time is the number of persons on board. The fact that most of these would probably enter the ESM from the forward PH 11 and the possibility of additional complications such as fire, injured crew and severe pitch or heel angles, would all add to the length of time needed for deployment. Although good training will evidently help shorten deployment time, the number of crew and other persons should be kept to a minimum.
  • a case study may help understanding: Assume a submarine with a test depth of 1000 feet, a crush depth of 2000 feet and a total of 80 people on board. The aft PH 12 is flooded, the machinery stopped, and the boat is sinking stern-end down. The order is given to abandon ship when the forward PH 11 is at test depth.
  • the first few people inside the ESM 15 can help the rest in and an average of 8 people per minute should be achievable. If 90% of these people are entering the ESM from the forward PH and one minute is needed to ready the ESM for ejection, then a total of 10 minutes are needed to deploy the ESM. The average sink rate must then be less than 100 feet per minute to provide at least 10 minutes of available time.
  • the pistons 35 destined to lift the ESM clear of the hull may be operated by high pressure air (HP air), hydraulic fluid, gas generators or explosive charges. At least two different systems should be used to ensure the availability of a backup.
  • HP air high pressure air
  • hydraulic fluid hydraulic fluid
  • gas generators gas generators
  • explosive charges At least two different systems should be used to ensure the availability of a backup.
  • the ESM receives additional protection from weapons attack by most of it being surrounded by the midship MBT structures 21.
  • the attachment or docking hatches between the ESM and the two main PHs need a design that will secure the passageway against deep diving pressure and yet permit the release of the ESM when required.
  • Ventilation in the ESM should, if possible, be provided through the access hatches. This may require that a small air pressure differential between the two main PHs be maintained so that an air current through the ESM can be established.
  • the venting of various tanks inside the PH creates a tendency for air pressure in all submarines to build up while submerged. Excess air is usually removed by air compressors. It may be possible to take advantage of this "natural" build up to help establish this pressure differential which could be reversed periodically.
  • Fans in the ESM may aid in ensuring that no dead-air pockets are created.
  • ventilation should be provided by small through-hull fittings that will close on detachment of the ESM.
  • the ESM may be fitted with propulsion means and control system or systems.
  • the ESM could therefore have many more uses than those set forth above.
  • a secondary "tunnel" to connect the two main PHs may then be fitted under the HLS.
  • HLS Horizontal Launch System
  • the potential size of the HLS is now largely dependant on the size of these MBTs and so, indirectly, on the ROB.
  • the HLS offers an increase in firepower of at least 60% over conventional designs and I estimate that at least 40 tubes can be incorporated without running into impractical sizes for the forward and after MBTs 13, 18, without placing too much reliance on the midship MBTs 21 and without creating an excessively large ESM.
  • torpedoes are fired using HP air which drives a piston that forces pressurized water from the Torpedo Discharge Tanks to enter the tube through some slide valves.
  • HP air pressurized water from the Torpedo Discharge Tanks to enter the tube through some slide valves.
  • An older method, now in disuse, was to blow HP air directly into the tube thus creating a large bubble inside it. Care had to be taken to avoid blowing so much air that some could escape from the tube and give away the position of the submarine.
  • a valve was opened that would vent the tube into a special tank thus letting it be filled with water again.
  • an explosive charge or gas generator ejects the missile and the tube fills with water to compensate for the weight of the weapon.
  • a conventional torpedo tube system requires too much space and is unnecessarily complex for a tube that cannot be reloaded except when the submarine is docked with a Tender, while the VLS system is far too indiscreet for firing torpedoes or laying mines.
  • the tube 16 has an internal diameter 59 of about 21 inches. Near the muzzle end of the tube, the plate 57 may hit a stop which is a thick ring 52 having a gap 53 that narrows the tube to the diameter of a conventional torpedo tube. This would ensure that no air escapes the tube.
  • valves behind the opening at the rear of the tube would switch from the HP air system 48 to a vent system 49 that would collect the air as the plate 54 is pushed back by sea pressure.
  • the tube stays filled with water to partly compensate for the weight of the weapon.
  • a Weapons Compensation (WC) tank system 37 placed below the HLS array (figs. 3 and 5), would compensate for any difference between the weight of the weapon and the sea water that displaced it.
  • the tubes have an inside diameter somewhat larger than a conventional torpedo tube with thicker guide rails 51.
  • the guide rails 15 have channels 61 therein for air bubbles.
  • the push plate 54 has grooves in its perimeter to fit the guide rails.
  • the plate stop is actually two ring sections 52 that leave openings at the top and bottom of the tube.
  • the bottom opening 60 is located behind the signal connectors, while the top one 57 is behind one of the WRT tank fill valves 50.
  • Wire-guided torpedoes would have some of their wire travel from the dispenser up the outside of the torpedo where it would be held in place against the body of the torpedo by a length of tape (or some other not very strong adhesive), and connected to the submarines' fire-control system at the connector near the muzzle of the tube.
  • the plate stop 52 has an opening 60 to allow the wire to pass to the connector.
  • a full reload operation should take less time than a conventional system.
  • the crew members that must remain on board during a weapons reload manoeuvre will require special provision for their positions in order to ensure that this manoeuvre can be carried out safely and efficiently.
  • some study should be given to determine what the minimum on-board crew should be during this manoeuvre that will ensure adequate safety and security standards.
  • the arrangement of the HLS needs special consideration.
  • half the tube doors open to starboard and half to port.
  • the tubes are stacked in four rows arranged symmetrically around the longitudinal centreline of the hull. Both ends of each tube are in free-flood areas 46 that house the HP air lines, air vent lines, WRT tank connections, electrical signal connections, valves and the mechanisms for operating the pressure caps and hull doors. In this manner, all the elements that may need periodic routine inspection and maintenance are accessible from the door openings .
  • a firing order would take a fraction of the time a conventional system takes and, in theory, the only limitation to the number of weapons that can be fired in quick succession is the number of weapons carried. If, after preparing a tube for firing, the decision is taken to stand-down " the weapon, there is no provision for emptying the tube - it can remain full of water until needed again or the submarine is docked with a Tender. Provision will have to be made for compressibility effects on the tubes to ensure that:
  • valves at the top of the tubes may need to be opened for a while after completing a reload manoeuvre.
  • the small amount of sea water that may enter should not be cause for concern about corrosion.
  • a method to hold weapons in place inside the tubes is necessary to prevent them from sliding around inside the tubes when the submarine heels. This mechanism must obviously have to release the weapons for firing and reloading. It is possible that a simple brake device, placed near the tube muzzle and mechanically activated by the opening and closing of the pressure caps, would suffice.
  • the drawings contemplate a mechanism based on the hydraulic one used now in the VLS for operating the tube caps and doors.
  • a mechanism which would open he doors and caps on the inside of the hull - particularly for wire-guided torpedoes that require these doors to remain open for extended periods of time. This would reduce turbulence and drag, facilitate the slide-out " launch method and reduce the possibility of breaking guidance wires.
  • likely alternatives have drawbacks: a hinged double-door mechanism would require a slightly larger hull diameter than is contemplated here and would be somewhat more complex. Similarly, a system whereby the doors slide open on the inside of the hull may not require more hull diameter, but would be much more complex and is likely to add complexity to the midship hull structures.
  • the direct-ejection system proposed in this paper should be more efficient.
  • the HLS should also have lower crew and space requirements and should produce less noise in its operations than a conventional torpedo room.
  • Figures 3 and 4 show that there are 3 transverse bulkheads 38 that divide the space into 4 areas. The two interior areas hold the MBTs 21 and the HLS array 16.
  • Figure 5 shows that there are 10 main longitudinal stiffeners 1 to 10 welded to the inside of the hull and to the main PHs 11, 12. Starting from the top of the hull and going in a clockwise direction, these are numbered 1 through 10.
  • a simplified description of the dismantling process is as follows:
  • the yokes 36 not only support the tubes 16 but also form the longitudinal separation between the starboard 26 and port 28 MBTs and the separation between the MBTs and the FF areas 46 near the ends of the tubes. It should also be pointed out that the ESM bed 31 is actually the hull separation between the MBTs and the ocean. The small space between the ESM and the bed is free-flooding.
  • Figure 6 shows a yoke 36 in more detail.
  • the flanges around the perimeter of the yokes 36 are faired towards the ends so as to minimize trapping of air.
  • the yoke 36 has bolt holes 47 for securing the yokes each other and/or to transverse bulkheads 38.
  • the yokes and bed can be designed to be welded to the tubes and structures. This may result in a lighter structure.
  • the U.S.N. is reputed to be experimenting with non-penetrating mast periscopes. Presumably, the idea is to put cameras and other electro-optical devices at the end of a periscope and to see through a CRT monitor rather than an eyepiece.
  • the periscopes can be somewhere else rather than directly above the control room. This permits a much more flexible location for the control room as well as a smaller control room where, at present, the periscopes take up much space.
  • a non-penetrating periscope should have a longer extension, thus permitting the submarine to be at a somewhat greater depth when using this device.
  • Each of the 4 PH hemispherical end caps is enclosed by a transverse bulkhead 38 situated a short distance away from the end cap (fig. 2 show all these areas, fig. 4 offers more detail).
  • a transverse bulkhead 38 situated a short distance away from the end cap (fig. 2 show all these areas, fig. 4 offers more detail).
  • stiffeners 1 and 10 which can be made free-flooding and can be used to house the periscopes, snorkels, antennas and all the other masts that would normally be housed in the bridge fin of a more conventional submarine.
  • Figure 11 shows that, for a hull diameter of 25 feet, there is a useful height of over 20 feet in those parts of the hull.
  • a closed tube 22 mounted vertically on the axis of the boat extends from the top of the PH to nearly the bottom (fig. 1).
  • This tube 22 may be called the Extendable Surface Piloting Bridge (ESPB).
  • the interior of the ESPB 22 has a ladder 65 and a hydraulic mechanism 69 to raise and lower the assembly (figs. 9, 9b and 10.
  • Above the ESPB 22 is a large hatch 62 that, when opened, permits the ESPB to be extended when the submarine is surfaced.
  • the ESPB has two aft-facing doors 68 which slide open on the inside of the tube 22.
  • the bottom door 68 opens to the lower level 72 of the submarine and the upper door opens to a landing between the middle 71 and upper 70 levels.
  • the tube 22 can be extended to a maximum of about 15 feet of which about 13 feet rise above the topdeck (a 25-foot-diameter hull is assumed).
  • the upper door opens to the topdeck and the lower door opens to the deck 64 on the upper level 70 inside the hull 66.
  • the ESPB has three levels. The upper two levels are equipped with windows. At the top level, two persons may stand on a platform 73 forward of the ladder 65 and a third lookout may stand astride over the opening for the ladder. At the middle level of the ESPB, behind the upper sliding door, a small Platform forward of the ladder provides a secondary lookout position for when the tube is fully extended. To access this position, that section of the ladder can be swung open like a door. There is space for some light stores in the area forward of the ladder at the bottom level. For obvious safety reasons, the tube 22 should be sheathed by a sheath 74 at the middle and lower levels of the submarine - except for the door openings. When fully retracted, the ladder 65 may be used for communicating between the lower level 72 of the submarine and the levels above.
  • seals such as rubber O " rings can be placed on the structure that protrudes below the hatch. In this way, it should be possible to extend or retract the ESPB even when the submarine is not completely surfaced. The small amount of water that may come inside could be channelled to the bilge. Some care should be taken with the forward speed of the submarine during this manoeuvre in order to guard against the loads caused by the flow of water.
  • the roof of the ESPB tube has a light hatch 62 to permit access to the topdeck when surfaced with the ESPB retracted. This hatch also provides backup access to the main hatch mechanisms.
  • a lower limit of about 4 feet for the diameter of the ESPB is preferred. Mention should also be made of the possibility of removing the ESPB while in port to leave a very convenient large-diameter access hole for outfitting and refits.
  • the spaces enclosed by the aforementioned transverse bulkheads 38 and the PH end caps can also be used to house the recessed flank sonar arrays 17 - particularly between stiffeners 2 and 3 (port side) and 8 and 9 (starboard side) where they can be placed symmetrically along the longitudinal axis of the submarine (figs. 1 and 2 show the arrays, figs. 5 and 11 show the stiffeners). Additional sonar equipment may be placed above and below these stiffeners in order to maximize the potential of capturing bounced " or reflected sounds. As can be appreciated, up to 8 arrays can thus be incorporated: 2 in the forward section, 2 in the after section and 4 in the midship section (2 just forward of the HLS and another 2 just after it).
  • the forward MBT section 13 should begin to taper into an elliptical closure just forward of the said transverse bulkhead.
  • the after MBT area 18 should begin to taper into a parabolic closure after the corresponding aft transverse bulkhead (figs. 1 and 2).
  • the location of the Trim and Compensation tanks poses certain problems.
  • the main trim tanks are located at the lower parts of the extreme ends of the pressure hull.
  • the compensation tank is located midship and is usually integrated with the D " tanks.
  • the compensation tank is usually a hard " tank capable of withstanding full sea pressure and is connected to large pumps that can empty it.
  • the Trim tanks are soft " structures that operate at the interior hull pressure. In response to shifts in the centre of gravity due to movement of crew and equipment, consumption of stores, etc.., water can be pumped from one trim tank at one end of the submarine to the other. If there is a change in the buoyancy of the submarine, the compensation tank can take in or pump out the required amount of water.
  • the systems are interconnected so that the compensation tanks can feed water to the trim tank system as needed.
  • a submarine in trim can hover " while submerged and motionless.
  • a submarine In practice, because there is always movement of crew, equipment and stores, In addition to compressibility effects, a submarine is unstable when motionless and submerged. If the submarine has forward motion, these small changes can usually be compensated by the hydroplanes. If the submarine is at periscope depth, wave action will also affect the attitude of the submarine.
  • Use of the TC tanks to hover may be impractical because of the large and noisy pumps that have to be operated intermittently. For these reasons, many submarines are equipped with hover tanks.
  • These tanks can be located at the fore and aft ends of the submarine, outside the PH, where they have to be pressurized to ambient sea pressure so that the transfer of water can be effected against a zero pressure differential. In this manner, small, quiet pumps can be used.
  • an external TC tank system is certainly a desirable feature.
  • the hover tanks on which they are based are relatively small tanks that are not considered crucial to the safety or integrity of the submarine. Placing these tanks over three main areas of the submarine, equipping them with a redundant number of pumps and oversizing them somewhat, should ensure that reasonable safety standards or criteria can be met. In addition, it may be necessary to provide the submarine with a larger than normal HP air-bottle capacity to ensure that a sufficient number of emergency blows are always available for the MBTs even after a prolonged submerged navigation without the use of the air compressors.
  • An air venting system is necessary for operating the external TC tank system (in addition to the HLS tubes and the WC tanks). This system may vent into special tanks inside the PHs where, at convenient moments, this air may be reprocessed into HP air.
  • the auxiliary fuel tank 42 should be located in the space between the two main PHs 11, 12.
  • One of the two aforementioned areas that enclose the midship PH caps could use the remaining space for this purpose (fig. 3).
  • this tank 42 can also be connected to the HP air system so as to provide increased buoyancy in case of an emergency blow. It is particularly preferred that this feature is provided in a nuclear powered submarine, although it could also be provided in a submarine powered by other means.
  • the curvature of the hull may be shallow enough to permit the crew to walk on the topdeck when the submarine is docked or navigating on the surface, this may not be possible on a 25-foot hull. It would also be a good idea to have some of the hydraulic and HP air lines outside the PHs. Furthermore, it would be desirable to be able to house in a smooth surface all the cleats, chocks, capstans, hatches, MBT vent valves, safety tracks, etc... that are necessary on the topdeck of all submarines as well as the shutters for the periscopes and masts. In addition, because the ESM 15 will probably bulge out above the main pressure hull line, a structure for fairing it in smoothly is necessary (fig. 3). Finally, due to the lack of a bridge fin, a place must be found to house high-frequency navigation sonars and receivers.
  • This superstructure 29 is also the logical place for the forward hydroplanes 14 (figs. 1 and 2). By placing them on the superstructure, they can be set far enough away from the forward sonar arrays to avoid interfering hydrodynamic noise and yet still be at or in front of the neutral point. In this position they would also be above the plane of the after hydroplanes and propulsor in order to minimize any possible tip vortex interference.
  • bridge fin should end the possibility of snap-roll.
  • Ship control can be simplified and one-man operation should be possible without undue reliance on computers and program logic.
  • the elimination of snap-roll may bring new opportunities for incorporating alternative stern control-surface arrangements which are hydrodynamically superior such as the X and the inverted Y. Should the software or the computers that are necessary for these stern arrangements fail, there should be less risk for the submarine.
  • the reliability of the program logic should benefit from the simplification brought on by the elimination of the lift parameters created by a bridge fin when the submarine heels into a turn.
  • the 10 longitudinal stiffeners in the midship area are simply the natural places where these can be located without complicating the drawings too much. To ensure adequate longitudinal rigidity, additional stiffeners may be needed.
  • the design contemplates the possibility of using the yoke and tube structure of the HLS and the external hull to form a type of torsion box construction to unite the two main PHs.
  • the ESM bed, the WC tanks and the central yokes form a structure that should contribute substantially towards longitudinal rigidity in the more vertical planes. In any case, ensuring sufficient longitudinal rigidity and shock resistance to the structures that unite the two main PHs is a major challenge that will need to be resolved.
  • the two PH configuration effectively replaces the need for a very heavy midship bulkhead capable of withstanding full crush depth.
  • Modern U.S. submarines are required to have such a bulkhead in order to permit survival of the crew should the PH be breached and the submarine sink in shallow waters.
  • the result is a design with a forward PH of about 66 feet in length and an after PH about 95 feet long.
  • the shortest distance between the two main PHs is about 23 feet.
  • the end product should have an overall length of about 262 feet and a beam of 25 feet which gives it a l/d ratio comparable to many modern SSNs.
  • Total submerged displacement is approximately 3350 tons and surfaced 2550 (standard condition).
  • Total MBT capacity is about 500 tons of which the midship MBTs account for about 115 tons (assuming the WRT tanks are not installed).
  • the variable ballast (external TC and WC tanks) and the free-flood capacity are approximately 200 tons each.
  • a bottlenose shape (with the narrow end towards the stern) may be more suitable for this vessel as it allows for a longer PH without increasing its volume.
  • This arrangement still permits inline placement of the after flank arrays (although somewhat further forward) while allowing for a more tapered stern and a shorter shaft.
  • a power plant similar to that used in the French Rubis and Amethyst class SSNs could be used.
  • This power plant is reputed to deliver about 9,500 SHp. It may need to be upgraded somewhat because, although there is less drag due to the absence of a bridge fin, there is an increase in displacement.
  • the point to be made here is that there is a major NATO partner in possession of a power plant designed to fit inside a 25-foot-diameter pressure hull . The existence of this power plant could go a long way towards reducing the development time required for a new power plant to fit this hull.
  • Electric Boat presented several power plant designs based on the AFSR reactor (later developed as the S5W).
  • the forward PH should have sufficient capacity to eliminate the need for hot-bunking - if the figure of 65 crew members is correct and if the recommended external TC tank system is adopted.
  • the ESM has a capacity to accommodate over 85 persons in an emergency and, by using the top row of fold-away bunks, up to 6 injured crew could make the trip to the surface lying down without seriously affecting the salvage capacity.
  • the ESM can fit 18 temporary " bunks while still maintaining sufficient aisle space. This bunk space has not been accounted for when sizing the forward PH.
  • SEALS or other teams that may be delivered while submerged capacity will, of course, depend on the amount and bulk of equipment these may carry. In any case, at least 35 normally equipped divers may be delivered or recovered in one single flooding/emptying cycle of the ESM.
  • the permanent ballast should be placed below the hull axes to ensure that the centre of gravity is below the centre of buoyancy. However, care must be taken to ensure that, while surfaced, BG is not so great that it will prevent the HLS reload system from working as intended.
  • Total submerged draught is about 28 feet. Due to the relatively high ROB, freeboard can be quite generous and the submarine should draw about 18 or 19 feet of water when surfaced. While underway on the surface, it may be desirable to flood some MBTs to ensure the propulsor is submerged.
  • the three recessed flank arrays on each side of the submarine are set approximately equidistant to one another and arranged symmetrically along the hull axis. There is space for two additional arrays just forward of the HLS.
  • the control room is in the forward part of the upper level of the forward PH. In this way, the control room is in a cul-de-sac and not in a passageway.
  • the sonar and radio rooms can be after the control room. Officers quarters, wardroom, offices, etc.. can occupy the space further aft.
  • the forward part of the middle level can house the sonar equipment room while the after part may hold the HLS control room.
  • the rest of the middle level can be taken up with berthing, mess, galley and cold stores.
  • the lower level should house the auxiliary systems.
  • a 25-foot-diameter hull may not be able to accommodate the same degree of noise reduction equipment that can be fitted in a 40-foot hull.
  • achieving acceptable radiated noise levels is a challenge that should be attainable with existing technology.
  • detection by nonacoustic means and by active sonars should be more difficult.
  • the two PH configuration should lend itself well to modern modular construction techniques and may give more flexibility in subcontracting than conventional designs. It should also have additional advantages relative to firefighting, survivability against weapons attack and reactor accidents due to the relatively high ROB, the presence of three main MBT areas and the damage containment offered by separate PHs. In addition, it is particularly suitable for the latest fly-by-wire " type control systems.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Velocity Or Position Using Acoustic Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Earth Drilling (AREA)
  • Electric Cable Installation (AREA)
EP97310410A 1996-12-30 1997-12-22 Sous-marin Withdrawn EP0850830A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9627029.3A GB9627029D0 (en) 1996-12-30 1996-12-30 Submarine
GB9627029 1996-12-30
GB9712379 1997-06-14
GBGB9712379.8A GB9712379D0 (en) 1997-06-14 1997-06-14 A submarine

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0850830A2 true EP0850830A2 (fr) 1998-07-01
EP0850830A3 EP0850830A3 (fr) 1999-10-20

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EP1426726A1 (fr) * 2002-12-05 2004-06-09 Buck Neue Technologien GmbH Lanceur camouflé contre l'action des radars
EP1457419A1 (fr) * 2003-03-13 2004-09-15 Gabler Maschinenbau GmbH Sous-marin
FR2929925A1 (fr) * 2008-04-09 2009-10-16 Dcns Sa Dispositif de stockage externe pour la mise en oeuvre d'armes a partir d'un sous-marin
KR100980130B1 (ko) * 2004-08-05 2010-09-03 호발트스벨케-도이췌 벨프트 게엠베하 잠수함
WO2012074408A3 (fr) * 2010-11-29 2012-11-29 Environtec As Dispositif et véhicule de nettoyage de surface
CN103488177A (zh) * 2013-09-17 2014-01-01 哈尔滨工程大学 一种动力定位水下对接模拟器控制系统
RU2545175C2 (ru) * 2013-07-01 2015-03-27 Юрий Дмитриевич Кораблев Подводная лодка yk
RU2606150C1 (ru) * 2015-06-09 2017-01-10 Федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие "Крыловский государственный научный центр" (ФГУП "Крыловский государственный научный центр") Способ эксплуатации подводных аппаратов
RU2635939C2 (ru) * 2016-02-04 2017-11-17 Федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие "Крыловский государственный научный центр" (ФГУП "Крыловский государственный научный центр") Способ эксплуатации подводных аппаратов
WO2018095873A1 (fr) * 2016-11-24 2018-05-31 Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems Gmbh Véhicule sous-marin à probabilité de détection réduite sur de gandes distances
RU181754U1 (ru) * 2016-06-21 2018-07-26 Федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие "Крыловский государственный научный центр" Система хранения подводных аппаратов
WO2020109128A1 (fr) * 2018-11-26 2020-06-04 Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems Gmbh Procédé et sous-marin pour déployer rapidement un groupe de plongeurs sous l'eau
DE102019202189A1 (de) * 2019-02-19 2020-08-20 Thyssenkrupp Ag Auftriebsmodifikationsmodul für ein modulares Unterwasserfahrzeug
CN114524083A (zh) * 2022-04-21 2022-05-24 中国空气动力研究与发展中心空天技术研究所 一种浮力可调的机翼舵面结构

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JP7189065B2 (ja) * 2019-03-29 2022-12-13 川崎重工業株式会社 水中ビークル用冷却システム
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EP1426726A1 (fr) * 2002-12-05 2004-06-09 Buck Neue Technologien GmbH Lanceur camouflé contre l'action des radars
EP1457419A1 (fr) * 2003-03-13 2004-09-15 Gabler Maschinenbau GmbH Sous-marin
KR100730809B1 (ko) 2003-03-13 2007-06-20 가블러 마쉬넨바우 게엠베하 잠수함
KR100980130B1 (ko) * 2004-08-05 2010-09-03 호발트스벨케-도이췌 벨프트 게엠베하 잠수함
AU2009245582B2 (en) * 2008-04-09 2014-03-13 Dcns External storage device for deploying weapons from a submarine.
FR2929925A1 (fr) * 2008-04-09 2009-10-16 Dcns Sa Dispositif de stockage externe pour la mise en oeuvre d'armes a partir d'un sous-marin
WO2009136065A2 (fr) * 2008-04-09 2009-11-12 Dcns Dispositif de stockage externe pour la mise en oeuvre d'armes à partir d'un sous-marin
WO2009136065A3 (fr) * 2008-04-09 2010-01-21 Dcns Dispositif de stockage externe pour la mise en oeuvre d'armes à partir d'un sous-marin
US8459199B2 (en) 2008-04-09 2013-06-11 Dcns External storage device for deploying weapons from a submarine
RU2494003C2 (ru) * 2008-04-09 2013-09-27 Дснс Наружное устройство хранения для пуска боевых средств с борта подводной лодки
US9308977B2 (en) 2010-11-29 2016-04-12 Gac Environhull Limited Surface-cleaning device and vehicle
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WO2012074408A3 (fr) * 2010-11-29 2012-11-29 Environtec As Dispositif et véhicule de nettoyage de surface
RU2545175C2 (ru) * 2013-07-01 2015-03-27 Юрий Дмитриевич Кораблев Подводная лодка yk
CN103488177B (zh) * 2013-09-17 2016-08-17 哈尔滨工程大学 一种动力定位水下对接模拟器控制系统
CN103488177A (zh) * 2013-09-17 2014-01-01 哈尔滨工程大学 一种动力定位水下对接模拟器控制系统
RU2606150C1 (ru) * 2015-06-09 2017-01-10 Федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие "Крыловский государственный научный центр" (ФГУП "Крыловский государственный научный центр") Способ эксплуатации подводных аппаратов
RU2635939C2 (ru) * 2016-02-04 2017-11-17 Федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие "Крыловский государственный научный центр" (ФГУП "Крыловский государственный научный центр") Способ эксплуатации подводных аппаратов
RU181754U1 (ru) * 2016-06-21 2018-07-26 Федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие "Крыловский государственный научный центр" Система хранения подводных аппаратов
EP3943377A1 (fr) * 2016-11-24 2022-01-26 thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH Véhicule sous-marin à probabilité de détection réduite sur de gandes distances
CN110072769A (zh) * 2016-11-24 2019-07-30 蒂森克虏伯船舶系统有限公司 在远距离具有降低的被探测概率的水下航行器
AU2017364150B2 (en) * 2016-11-24 2020-06-25 Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems Gmbh Underwater craft less likely to be detected across great distances
US10814950B2 (en) 2016-11-24 2020-10-27 Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems Gmbh Underwater craft less likely to be detected across great distances
WO2018095873A1 (fr) * 2016-11-24 2018-05-31 Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems Gmbh Véhicule sous-marin à probabilité de détection réduite sur de gandes distances
IL266803B (en) * 2016-11-24 2022-12-01 Thyssenkrupp Marine Sys Gmbh An underwater vessel with a lower probability of detection over large distances
IL266803B2 (en) * 2016-11-24 2023-04-01 Thyssenkrupp Marine Sys Gmbh An underwater vessel with a lower probability of detection over large distances
WO2020109128A1 (fr) * 2018-11-26 2020-06-04 Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems Gmbh Procédé et sous-marin pour déployer rapidement un groupe de plongeurs sous l'eau
DE102019202189A1 (de) * 2019-02-19 2020-08-20 Thyssenkrupp Ag Auftriebsmodifikationsmodul für ein modulares Unterwasserfahrzeug
WO2020169376A1 (fr) 2019-02-19 2020-08-27 Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems Gmbh Module de modification de flottabilité pour un véhicule submersible modulaire
CN114524083A (zh) * 2022-04-21 2022-05-24 中国空气动力研究与发展中心空天技术研究所 一种浮力可调的机翼舵面结构
CN114524083B (zh) * 2022-04-21 2022-07-12 中国空气动力研究与发展中心空天技术研究所 一种浮力可调的机翼舵面结构

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